Collaboration & Communication
YPAR thrives when teachers, students, administrators, and community members understand its value. Advocacy is not just about permission—it’s about building a shared vision for student voice, equity, and meaningful learning. Download the “Advocating for YPAR Toolkit”
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Approaching Administrators
Administrators are more likely to support YPAR when they see alignment with school goals—like student engagement, academic success, and equity. Use this resource to help you communicate the purpose, benefits, and standards alignment of your YPAR project.
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Co-Planning With Teachers or Community Partners
YPAR grows stronger when collaboration is built in from the start. Whether you’re integrating across classes or bringing in community wisdom, shared planning supports student success.
Talking Points to Advocate for YPAR
| Goal | Talking Point | Supporting Evidence |
| Student Engagement | YPAR increases student motivation by centering issues that matter to them. | “Students engaged in YPAR report stronger connections to school and teachers.” — Anyon et al., 2018 |
| Academic Learning | YPAR builds writing, research, critical thinking, and speaking skills. | “YPAR improves students’ ability to read, write, and present academic arguments.” — Cammarota & Fine, 2008 |
| Equity & Leadership | YPAR centers student voice and helps address school-based inequities. | “YPAR helps schools become more responsive to students’ lived realities.” — Tuck, 2009 |
| SEL & Belonging | YPAR fosters agency, identity, and belonging through authentic work. | “YPAR supports civic identity and a critical understanding of systems.” — Mirra et al., 2016 |
| School Improvement | YPAR projects often lead to actionable solutions and real change. | Examples include improvements in policy, mental health supports, curriculum access, and more. |
Information about the Table: Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) empowers students by centering their voices, fostering engagement, and developing academic skills such as writing, research, and critical thinking. It promotes equity, leadership, and a sense of belonging while helping schools address real-world issues. YPAR projects often lead to actionable improvements in policy, mental health, and access to curriculum. Find more information about YPAR research on our “Benefits of YPAR” page.